Runeclock

Cadets; Sephore, EMBER, Lucht, Zephyr, Hibba, Jema, St. James, Crim, and Nora all looking on nervously while being accompanied by Jensen flying the transport carrier and Instructor Tavis.

The Headmaster comes in through the intercom with the mission parameters for the final exam:
Reports of rebels operating in neighboring country of Sonda in the city of Weir.
Missions Parameters: Infiltrate suspected base of operations and collect evidence of rebel activity and extract, preferably without detection. Everyone must work together to accomplish the mission and return safely.USELETHALFORCE IS AUTHORIZED.

Upon landing everyone is supplied with a general field kit and is then presented with a pin officially promoting the cadets to Ensigns. However suddenly Nora is demoted from the position of Ringer and she and Crim are held behind.

The rest set out to head towards the pickle plant “Rotund Pickles” with Jensen in tow as an observer and may only intervene when absolutely necessary.

The Ensigns approach the wall surround the factory, with guards at the gate and a minor patrol, and barbwire on top of the walls, this is one very secure Pickle Factory.

If you wish to be recognized for your exploits feel free to further detail what happened during the Instances# or wherever I might have left something out!

The teams realizes that they need to try to get in a quietly as possible and start discussing and planning various options… After an unexpected entry by Lucht Instance1, the ensigns rush into the factory while the distraction pulls the attention of the guards for a brief moment and Zephyr Instance2 runs over to the guards office to look for any evidence.

After a brief attempt to power down the factory by EMBERInstance3, the ensigns arrive in the computer room and systematically begin going through documents to look for anything that may help them complete their mission. St. James recognizes that the computer located in the office was out of place and proceeded to collect the information. The group separates with St. James, Lucht, Jema, and Jensen staying in the computer room; and Hibba, Sephore, and EMBER moving further down the hall to continue investigating.

St. James, Lucht, Jema and Jensen stay behind in the computer room and suddenly are aware that two guards have arrived in their continued search of intruders, the ensigns creatively disable the guards Instance4, and after finding nothing of value go off to meet up with the rest of the group without incident.

Hibba, Sephore, and EMBER stumble upon the R&D department and find a chemist working on seemingly suspicious materials and the ensigns deal with her swiftly Instance5 and without incident. Now to regroup and exit!

The team arrives together in time to run into what appears to be a commanding officer and two soldiers approaching Rotund Pickles. The team decides to peacefully navigate their way out this predicament Instance6 and exit the grounds quickly and quietly.

Everyone returns to the rendezvous point and board the transport and return to base MISSIONSCOMPLETE without incident… mostly.

Instance3: Hoping to activate the facility’s machinery to cover the groups infiltration, EMBER located the plant’s control panel. A brief malfunction with EMBER’s hydraulics, however, caused the robot to snap both levers off the panel in truly comical fashion.

Instance5: Hibba managed to sneak up behind the chemist who was conveniently distracted by her portable music player. Spotting a broom nearby, Hibba knocked the unsuspecting chemist unconscious. On the way out of the room, EMBER grabbed a vial of the suspicious chemical stored in vials and beakers throughout the area. EMBER safely stowed the vial in his chest cavity so that he could show it to his superiors.

Belias hunted up and down the boardwalk. His nephew was an hour overdue. The plan wasn’t going to happen by itself. That boy had work to do.

Glancing into the window of the closed jewel shop, he growled to himself. One, two, three…

Counting always calmed Belias, and there was plenty pretty things to count in the window display. He needed the cat to climb in through the roof. Then the boy could do the rest.

There was still time.

“Hmmm….” He growled again. Turning and sweeping his gaze along the boardwalk, he saw the fairgrounds in the distance. Something made him uneasy about that place. His co-workers at the lab were obsessed with a project they were working on there.

A new thought fluttered in his mind. Kids. He saw a group of kids on the beach. Could Lucht have been playing? Could Lucht have made some friends? Lucht was an awkward little boy with his slight accent, there’s no way he would have been accepted into a group of playmates…

Then again, the kid did have some sort of charm that got him out of trouble he found himself in and in spite of the plans Belias eventually had for the kid, it was hard to dislike Lucht.

This is a heavy lock.

Looking down at the back door, Belias found the lock too strong for his skills.

Next hunting trip, I’m bringing a bear pelt for Lucht’s skin. Or a gorilla.

Having the boy steal wasn’t Belias’ original plan, but each of his projects were denied funding because many of his ideas weren’t entirely based on the scientific.

Everyone would soon see just what Belias Cross had to offer the scientific community. More than small time projects, that’s for sure.

There was still time.

Well, I’m not getting in there, that’s for sure. Not without Lucht.

Lucht’s genetic pool was like a long hallway. Each animal skin, bound to his own, was like a key to unlock each specific doorway. Belias had opened up so much more potential in the boy than the reports given on Lucht’s grandmother, the skin changer.

She only could skin change into five creatures. Lucht already can shift into six.

Belias’ prey was to hunt down the full potential of this child of the altered being. And then destroy him.

The pleasure of the hunt called to Belias, and the pleasure of denying the science world his creation was even something he anticipated even more.

He is now MY creation, isn’t he? They may have made a geemo of his grandmother, but I have the means to untap a new level of potency they wouldn’t – couldn’t dream of.